Seafood for Glowing Summer Skin

Hey, Seafoodies!

Whether you’re a sun-worshiper or gravitate toward the shade, summer’s the time we bare a little more skin, so we want it to be looking its best! Hydration and sunscreen go a long way toward protecting your skin, but that healthy, rosy glow comes from within, and a lot of it has to do with what you eat. So, while you’re slathering on the moisturizer, consider adding a few servings of seafood to your diet each week, as experts recommend. You’ll satisfy your hunger while improving the health of your skin — your hair and nails, too!

The nutrients in seafood help your skin retain moisture, nourishing it from the inside out. In fact, seafood offers some of the most skin-boosting nutrients around, such as:

• Omega-3 fatty acids — namely, DHA and EPA, which our bodies cannot produce on their own. Seafood, particularly oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, is the premier food source of DHA and EPA. These omega-3s can help strengthen our skin cells’ membranes, keeping them hydrated and soft.
• Amino acids. Seafood is a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids, which help slow down the process of collagen loss that begins in our mid-20s. In addition to preserving levels of wrinkle-busting collagen, the amino acids in seafood can help promote production of new collagen, keeping those fine lines and dark spots at bay.
• Antioxidants. Seafood is a rich source of vitamin B-2, which helps eliminate free radicals and toxins from our bodies, reducing wrinkles and restoring a radiant glow to our skin. Salmon, clams and tuna all are great sources of B-2, which also helps reduce inflammation (goodbye, puffy eyelids!) as well as the dryness that leads to oil production (so long, acne!).

So, who knew they sold beauty products at the seafood counter? Regularly incorporating seafood into your diet will help your skin look younger and feel younger, too. If you’re looking to amp up your self-care regime, here are a few delicious recipes to get you started.